Refrigerator



Dec. 23, 1941.

w. A. KUENZ| I REFRIGERATOR Filed Nov. 13, 1939 Patented Dec. 23, 1941 REFRIGERATOR I Walter A. Kuenzll, Evansville, Ind., assignor to Serve], Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application November 19, 1939, Serial No. 303,995

4 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator cabinet structure, and more particularly to breaker strip structure which spans a gap between spaced apart edges of metal wall members and serves as a connecting trim.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved breaker strip structure in which a first member formed of relatively soft or resilient material is secured to a second member having a relatively hard finished surface, the members being formed to provide grooves which receive the spaced apart edges of sheet metal wall members.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a breaker strip structure which is combined with or may be used in connection with a sealing gasket.

The invention, together with the above and other objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and of which: I

,Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a refrigerator cabinet provided with breaker strip structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, in section, of the resilient part of the breaker strip and sealing gasket structure shown in Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Figs. 2 and 3 illustrating another embodiment of the invention in which thesealing gasket is separate from the breaker strip structure.

In the drawing a refrigerator cabinet I is provided with a door H affording access into a food storage compartment l2 which is maintained at a desired low temperature by a cooling element 9 of suitable refrigeration apparatus.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the door ll includes an outer wall member l3 which is formed with a marginal edge portion I3a which is bent back upon itself to provide an inner substantially flat portion or ledge |3b having an inclined flange I30. An inner wall member 14 is provided with an inclined flange Ma which extends toward the flange l3c. The wallmembers l3 and It are maintained in spaced relation in any suitable manner well known in the art to provide a relatively wide gap between the flanges I30 and Ila and form an insulation space between the wall members to receive suitable insulation l5.

vention includes a trim strip l6, which may be formed of hard rubber, a synthetic resinous product, wood or any other material having a relatively hard surface to provide a smooth finish which is easily'cleaned. A backing member II, which maybe made ofsoft rubber or other similar resilient material, is cemented or secured in any other suitable manner to the trim strip IS. The inner edge of the backing member I! is offset at l8 with respect to trim strip IE to form a channel or groove which receives the flange Ma of the inner wall member M. The outer edge of the backing member I! is formed with a longitudinally extending groove or channel l9a which receives the flange l3c of the outer wall member I3.

A sealing gasket 20 is formed integrally with the backing member II. The sealing gasket 20 is provided with a hollow striking bead 2| which contacts the front of the cabinet to provide a seal when the door H is in its closed position.

In positioning the breaker stripconstruction just described, the tongues or offset edge portions l8 and I9 are bent so that they can slip into the gap between the spaced flanges 13c and Ma. After the tongues l8 and I9 are slipped into the space between the wall members l3 and M, the trim strip I6 is pressed down so that the outer edge portions thereof overlie the'flanges Be and Illa. When this is done, the tongues I8 and I9 assume the position shown in Fig. 2 whereby the breakerstrip structure is firmly held in position.

By securing a backing member I! formed of resilient material to a relatively rigid trim strip 16, the advantages of a resilient breaker strip are obtained to facilitate the insertion and removal of the breaker strip between the spaced apart edges of sheet metal wall members. At the same time a. trim strip is provided which is relatively 40 stiff and rigid. When the trim strip 16 is formed of a synthetic resinous material like that identified by the trade-mark Bakelite, for example,

the trim strip has a hard surface which is easily cleaned and also imparts a neat appearance'to 46 the refrigerator cabinet structure.

In the embodiment of Figs.'4 and 5 the sealing gasket 30 is formed as a separate member instead of integrally with the backing member 25. In Fig. 4 the trim strip 24 overlies the 50 flanges 23a and 22c of the inner and outer wall members'23 and, 22. The flange 220 is inclined with respect to an inner ledge 221) which is formed by bending the outer edge portion 22a back upon itself. The backing member 25 of The breaker strip structure embodyingthe in- 56 resilient material is cemented to the underside of trim strip 24 except at its outer edge portions 26 and 28. The outer edgevportions 26 and 28 are oiiset from the trim strip 24 to form grooves or channels to receive the flanges 22c and 23a.

The separate gasket 30 is U-shaped at 3| to form a groove to receive the flange 22c, and the end 3| of the sealing gasket 30 in turn is received by the groove formed by the outer edge portion of trim strip 24 and tongue 28. As in the embodiment described above, the sealing gasket 30 is provided with a hollow striking bead 32. The trim strip 24 may be formed of hard rubber, wood, or a synthetic resinous material as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, and the backing member 25 may be formed of soft rubber or other suitable resilient material. The gasket 30,

like the backing member 25, may be formed of rubber or other suitable resilient material.

In the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5, the ushaped heel 3| of the sealing gasket 30 is first positioned over-flange 22c, and the breaker strip structure is then inserted into position in the manner described above in connection with the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent that modifications and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the trim strip and backing member may be used alone to provide a transverse connecting wall between the spaced edges of wall members. In such case both edges of the backing member are offset with respect to the edge portions of the trim opposed edge portions providing a longitudinally extending space therebetween, a substantially rigid longitudinal cover strip greater in width than said space and adapted to overlie the outer surface of said edge portions, and separable fastening means comprising a backing member of resilient material aflixed to the underside of said strip, said backing member having a longitudinal marginal portion spaced apart from the adjacent marginal portion of said strip to form therewith a channel having a resilient inner wall adapted to separably engage the underside'of one of said edge portions.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the opposite marginal portion of said backing member is provided with an extension projecting beyond the adjacent margin of said cover strip and over the outer surface of the other of said edge portions, the inner side of said extension being provided with a resilient lip adapted to separably engage the under surface of said other of said edge portions.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the opposite marginal portion of said backing member is provided with an extension projecting beyond the adjacent margin of said cover strip and over the outer surface of the other of said edge portions, the outer longitudinal margin of said extension being provided with a, sealing gasket, the inner side of said extension being provided with a resilient lip adapted to separably engage the under surface of said other of said edge portions.

4. The structure of claim 1 that includes, a gasket member formed of resilient material and having its inner longitudinal margin provided with a'grooved member-engaging the other of said edge portions and underlying the adjacent edge of said cover strip, the opposite marginal portion of said backing strip being spaced apart from the adjacent marginal portion of said cover strip to form therewith a channel having an inner resilient wall adapted to separably engage the innermost surface of said grooved member.

WALTER A. KUENZLI. 

